Baby carriages or strollers for transporting infants and toddlers are well known. Such strollers are commonly used to transport infants during outings, when shopping, or when running errands. They provide a generally convenient means for carrying the child, as well as the various child care items typically required on such trips.
It is generally necessary to carry a variety of child care items on such excursions. For example, it is usually necessary to bring extra diapers, baby wipes, bottles and/or baby food, etc. Additionally, particularly when shopping, it is often necessary to carry one or more shopping bags, generally containing purchases made while shopping.
It is also common to carry a drink on such outings. Such drinks are typically contained within a disposable paper or plastic cup, a bottle, or a can, although various other types of containers are likewise suitable and commonplace. As used herein, the term drink is meant to comprise all such containers.
Although strollers often have built-in racks or compartments to facilitate carrying various items, i.e., child care items, shopping bags, etc., such is not always the case. Indeed, even in those instances where such racks or compartments are provided, they are often inadequate for carrying the desired quantity of such items. Furthermore, access to such items is often inconvenient in that it is typically necessary to bend over and unlatch the lids of such containers in order to insert or remove items therein.
Furthermore, large, odd size, or bulky items typically cannot be carried within such built-in racks or compartments. Thus, such items must be carried by hand. Carrying such items by hand is both inconvenient and potentially hazardous. Carrying such items by hand is inconvenient since it limits the user's ability to use their hands for other tasks, i.e. inspecting goods to be purchased. Carrying such goods by hand is also tiresome.
Carrying such goods by hand is potentially hazardous since it limits the use of the user's hands, thereby preventing quick action in case of emergencies. It also limits the user's ability to control the stroller. Furthermore, such items may be dropped and thus may potentially cause tripping accidents.
Additionally, the need to continuously hold a drink in one's hand while pushing a stroller presents similar such problems. Holding such a drink is both inconvenient and potentially hazardous for the above mentioned reasons.
One example of a device which facilitates the carrying of items upon a stroller, including drinks, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,856,744, issued on Aug. 15, 1989 to Frankel, and entitled HANDLE SUPPORT ASSEMBLY. Another such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,755, issued on Jun. 4, 1991, and in U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,335, issued on Sep. 1, 1992, both patents also issued to Frankel and entitled HANDLE SUPPORT ASSEMBLY.
All three of the Frankel patents disclose a support assembly for utilization with generally horizontal handles, bars, shafts, and the like, for securement of articles thereto. The support assembly includes both a unit which is integrally formed with a handle and a discrete assembly for attachment to handles. The assembly is preferably of integrally molded plastic that comprises at least first and second hook portions adapted for supporting articles such as packages, clothing, and purses from strollers, carts, and the like. The assembly may also include a receptacle region adapted for the retention of a canned drink, baby bottle, loose articles, or the like.
Thus, although such strollers have proven generally suitable for their intended purposes, they possess inherent deficiencies which detract from their overall effectiveness in the marketplace. As such, it is desirable to provide a stroller accessory which facilitates the carrying of child care items, shopping bags, etc., as well as a drink, such that the user need neither attempt to stow such items upon the stroller itself or carry such items by hand.